Shred of Sanity
by stardust.breath
Summary: Three years after the Professor's untimely death, the Powerpuffs are still struggling to cope with his absence when the Rowdyruff Boys return. The boys aren't quite human and they seem to be a lot stronger than before. What will the girls do when the boys catch up to them? What are their motives, and why do they seem to sport a pair of fangs? (Rewritten)
1. Prologue

**Hi, guys! This is the rewritten version of my story 'Hanging By a Thread'. Enjoy~! :)**

**I don't own the PPG.**

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**Prologue**

Everything completely fell apart three years ago.

The Professor left home to visit a friend of his. Naturally, with my good leading skills and my sisters' maturity, the Professor trusted us to be on our own. We were left to take care of the house and continue going to school. The Professor figured he'd only be gone for a week, maybe less, and then he'd come straight home.

Bubbles, Buttercup, and I were fine. We split up the list of daily chores equally, cooked and cleaned without complaint, and we kept our grades up. As fourteen year-old girls, we were doing pretty well to keep things stable while our father was away.

But then... we got _that_ phone call.

The Professor had been in a car accident, just barely making it out alive. When my sisters and I learned of this, we didn't know what to do. None of us had any idea where the Professor was, as he never told us where he was going and our telephone didn't have caller ID.

Townsville was friendly; not high-tech.

Bubbles couldn't stop crying. Buttercup had this blank expression on her normally-angry face; she wasn't sure what to say or do. It was hard for me to put on a brave face for my sisters when all I wanted to do was burst into tears like poor Bubbles.

I was worried. The man who loved us, who we considered to be our father, and the chance that he could die...

We hoped and prayed (even Buttercup, who isn't all that religious, got down on her knees and prayed) that the Professor would be okay, that he'd wake up from his painkiller-induced coma. He'd come back with hugs and kisses and stories about his trip.

And then we would all breathe a sigh of relief and hug him and we'd all go into the kitchen to prepare a nice welcome-back dinner for him.

But when you're no longer a naive child and the rose-colored glasses are off, the world is different.

The call we got was not a report of improved health. The Professor would not be coming home to give us hugs and kisses and stories and we would not be able to make him a welcome-back dinner.

No.

The Professor was _dead_.

He didn't even make it through the night.

Poor Bubbles cried her eyes out for days. She held onto her beloved Octi like a lifeline. It was, after all, the first present she ever received from the Professor.

Buttercup reacted in a more explosive manner. She screamed through her tears, throwing anything she could get her hands on. She even punched a hole in the living room wall, the force of it making the house nearly collapse. It took a lot to calm her down.

I'm not sure what to say about how I dealt with his death. I'm numb. I don't feel much of anything anymore.

We were able to keep the house due to the fact that we were known as the Powerpuff Girls, the ones who kept the city of Townsville safe and drove every villain out of town. I inherited the Professor's bank account, since he knew he could trust me to take care of any financial matters that might arise, whether it be house bills or medical bills. Most of the money we received went towards his funeral.

Since Bubbles had the hardest time accepting Professor's death, Buttercup and I took it upon ourselves to get part-time jobs. We figured a job would only stress her out more.

That was three years ago.

Now? We're doing well, I suppose. We hate our high school (Citysville High), but Bubbles joined the cheerleading squad, Buttercup's part of the soccer team, and I'm in the school's student government council as well as the math team. After the Professor's death, we didn't use our powers as much, so we figured we'd try to make a normal image for ourselves at school.

But there's another problem, you see, and it's not just the fact that we, the Utonium girls, are viewed as freaks in Citysville High.

Something's coming. I can feel it in my bones.

I just wish I knew _what_ it was. My sisters are all I have left, and I'm fighting to keep our broken family together.

And if something happens to them, I'm not sure there will be anything left to fight for.


	2. Chapter 1

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

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**Chapter 1**

**Buttercup's POV**

I stared at the notebook in front of me and forced my eyes to go over every detail.

There was no way I could fail tomorrow's test; Blossom promised me I could borrow the car this weekend if I got an 80 or above on this freaking test. Mitch and I already had plans to hang out at the movies on Saturday; there was no way I was bailing on him.

A knock at the door tore my attention away from my notes.

"Buttercup?" It was Bubbles, no doubt. Her once high-pitched, overly-excited voice was now barely a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Blossom said that dinner's ready. Are you coming down to eat with us?"

"Yeah, be down in a sec," I replied. I heard her walk away.

Sheesh. Ever since the... ah... the _accident_, she's been so quiet. I mean, Bubbles has always been a little shy, but now she just doesn't talk.

You would think that cheerleading and having lots of friends would pull her right out of her shell, but not really. In school she's miss popularity; at home, she's a hermit.

I'm surprised our old friend Robin is able to get her to sleep over and go to the mall and stuff.

I returned my attention to my notes and looked them over for the umpteenth time.

_Ugh, how does Blossom do this?_ I thought impatiently. _Studying is so freaking boring._

Finally, I gave up and chucked the notebook into my backpack.

_I could always get some cram time in tomorrow. No biggie._

I went downstairs and the smell of chicken hit me like a brick. Blossom and Bubbles both had their hair up while they were working; Blossom was slaving over the stove and Bubbles was setting up the table.

"Need help?" I asked. Blossom looked up; God, she looked so tired. If anyone needed a break around here, it was her.

"Yeah," she breathed. "Thanks."

She pulled out a chair and sat down, wiping sweat off her brow.

Honestly, I don't feel bad for _anybody_, but I really feel bad for Blossom.

After the accident, she completely picked up the slack and took charge.

She took care of the funeral arrangements, she manages the house bills and stuff, and she's always there when Bubbles or I need her. She's kind of like a mom to us, even though she's really our sister.

She doesn't really get much sleep. She works at a clothing store and they're pretty merciless when it comes to her schedule. But somehow, Blossom manages to fit in study time.

My sister's stronger than I ever thought she was. Blossom was always the leader, but in the face of something this extreme, the death of our dad, she still managed to keep things stable.

It's weird, though. Blossom doesn't show any emotion anymore. It's like she completely shut off her emotions.

Which isn't a good thing; the assholes at Citysville High call her an ice queen behind her back. They know that we lost our dad and they think it's hilarious. Well, the ones who _haven't_ gotten punched by me think it's hilarious, anyway. I mean, I don't know why they think it's such great news; maybe because it shows our family isn't perfect? The Professor was human and all humans eventually pass away, but my sisters and I are super-human. Freaks of nature. Maybe they're just jealous that we're better than them. I don't know.

When dinner was done, Bubbles and I served it.

No one spoke. All three of us ate in silence.

Usually, the Professor would ask each of us about our day, but now... well, let's just say the kitchen no longer seems like the heart of the house.

Everything is just quiet, _too freaking quiet_, and it's depressing as all hell. It pisses me off.

The Professor wouldn't want us to be all sad and mopey! He'd want us to keep our heads up and move forward!

"So, I'm going to hang out with Mitch this weekend," I announced, breaking the silence. "And we're going to see a movie."

Bubbles looked up. She doesn't usually eat a lot and ends up wrapping up any leftover food for later. From the looks of it, she would have a whole plate-full to look forward to tomorrow.

"Oh. What movie are you guys going to see?"

"Um... Well, I don't know," I admitted. "But hopefully my loser of a best friend has some idea. What about you, Blossom?"

Blossom caught on to my attempt to stir up a conversation.

"I was going to stay home and put on a movie," she replied. "And I was thinking of painting my nails."

I nodded. "And what about you, Bubbles?"

The blonde looked up. "Huh? Oh... Well, Robin and I were going to go to the mall. She wanted to get a new dress for the homecoming dance."

I forced a smile. Clothes aren't really my favorite topic to talk about, but Bubbles is the clothing diva out of the three of us. If there's anything she loves blathering on about, it's the latest styles.

"Are you getting a dress?"

She nodded, a small smile on her face. "My other dress is too small, and I don't like the color. I want to get something simple this year. Maybe a blue dress and black heels?"

Blossom took another bite of chicken before she cocked her head to the side. A sign she was thinking.

"You know, we should _all_ go to the dance," she said. "It'd be nice to get out of here for one night."

Irritation bubbled up in my chest. _What, and listen to all those bitches talk about us behind our backs? How we're ugly freaks and all that?_

"I don't think I'll be going," I stated, shaking those thoughts aside. "Dresses and shoes and makeup? Not my kind of scene."

Blossom giggled. "I had a feeling you'd say no. I think I might go to the dance."

For the first time in a while, Bubbles' eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Sure. I'll tag along with you and Robin on Saturday. You guys don't mind, right?"

"No, that's great! I'm gonna go call Robin right now!"

The blonde flew out of her chair, leaving a light blue streak behind her.

Blossom smiled at me appreciatively.

"Thank you."

I waved my fork. "No problem. I just want things to go back to the way they were, you know?"

Blossom sighed. "I know, but things won't ever be the same. You know that."

"The Professor wouldn't want us to be sad," I countered. "He would want us to be happy and to keep going, no matter how much it hurts."

She got up to put her plate in the sink. "We're all trying to do our best, Buttercup."

I got up to do the same. "I'm not saying anything against you; I just meant that things shouldn't be so gloomy around here. We all have each other, don't we? Things could be much worse."

"Much worse how?" Blossom locked eyes with me.

_Well, the Professor could be... Oh. Never mind._

My brain didn't wanna work. I thought for a second.

"One of our enemies could come back."

She shrugged, her long hair bouncing slightly. "I suppose."

Suddenly, a rock flew through the window. It was decent-sized and would have broken the window had it not been open. Someone obviously had a death wish; throwing a stone into the Powerpuff home was unheard of. Everyone knew not to piss me off lest they wanted to face my wrath.

Before Blossom could stop me, I flew outside to the back yard. I made two complete trips around the house, searching through every tree and bush, but no one was there.

_Huh. Weird._

As I went back into the house, I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong...

My stomach churned uneasily. I tried to shrug it off.

When I got back to the kitchen, Blossom gave me a concerned look.

"Anyone out there?"

I shook my head. "Whoever it was ran off before I could catch them."

I tried to shrug off the foreboding feeling that something was coming.

No villain dared set foot in Townsville; why would they return now?

I was probably just cracking up. Yeah; that's what it was. Studying isn't always good for the brain, especially when you've got other things to worry about.

I helped Blossom clean up before I went back to my room and put my headphones on. With that, I drowned out the world.


	3. Chapter 2

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Bubbles' POV**

"I hate high school," I mumbled, slipping my backpack on. Blossom smiled at me sympathetically.

"I do, too, but it's our last year," she replied. "Then we won't have to worry about Citysville ever again."

"Can I stay home?" I asked. "I don't feel too well."

Blossom sighed. "Bubbles, you can't stay home every day."

I stared at my feet. I knew I couldn't just take the whole year off, but I hated school.

It was always the same thing. The other kids would make fun of me; they'd call me ugly and weird and it _hurt_. Buttercup wasn't always there to threaten them with her fists, and I didn't like to stand up against them because it'd probably result in a fight.

I didn't want to fight; I just wanted to be left alone.

"Okay."

Blossom placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Come on. We're going to be late."

I reluctantly followed her out to the car where Buttercup was waiting. She was tapping her fingers against the driving wheel.

Blossom sat in the passenger's seat while I sat in the back. As Buttercup pulled out of the driveway and began to drive towards Citysville, a familiar silence settled over all three of us.

I missed the Professor a lot. I thought about him every day and I always wondered if maybe we could have saved him if only we went with him that day.

I remember that day so clearly. He gave each of us a hug and a kiss and promised to be back as soon as possible, that he just wanted to visit a good friend who just got back from a trip to Europe.

And he asked if we'd like to come along. Blossom insisted we had school, Buttercup complained that Mitch would throw a fit if she cancelled plans with him last minute, and I told him that we'd be fine here on our own. I wanted him to have a good time and take a mini-vacation without having to worry about us.

Maybe if we had gone with him we could have helped him avoid the accident.

_Maybe, maybe, maybe..._

I happened to catch a glimpse of myself in the rear view mirror and I realized I hadn't put on any makeup this morning. I don't usually like wearing makeup, but it helps me fit in with the other cheerleaders; they all wear makeup.

"Hey, Blossom?" I managed to say. My voice was quiet because I didn't use it much anymore; there wasn't much for me to say.

She was staring out the window thoughtfully. She was probably too lost in her thoughts to hear me.

"Blossom?" I tried again. No luck. Buttercup heard me, though.

"Leader girl," she said. Blossom immediately turned at her nickname. "Bubbles wants you."

Blossom turned, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry. What's up?"

"Can you do my makeup when we get to school?" She was always so good at applying makeup; my hands shook too much and I usually ended up poking my eye or messing up.

"Sure. I only have pink eye shadow, though; is that okay?"

I nodded. Anything was better than hearing the other girls talk about my lack of makeup.

When we finally got to school, we were greeted with balled-up papers being thrown at us and the word 'freak' being shouted at us. It used to hurt me, but I've gotten used to it.

Buttercup lost her temper and shoved one of the boys when a pencil hit her right in the face. Blossom narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything; Buttercup would probably get lectured for her behavior when we got home.

"See you guys later," Buttercup mumbled. She sulked off to her locker, purposely bumping shoulders with kids and shooting them murderous glares to let them know she was ready for a fight should the opportunity present itself. Blossom sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder.

We walked to the bathroom, where Blossom instructed me to close my eyes. I heard her rummage through her bag before I felt eye shadow being dusted across my eyelids.

"Okay," she said. "Open your eyes."

I obliged and she applied a thin line of eyeliner. Blossom stood back and smiled.

"All right. You're good."

I looked at the mirror and smiled. Even though I preferred blue, I didn't mind pink.

"Thanks!" I hugged her. Blossom laughed.

"No problem. I'll try to buy more blue tomorrow, okay?"

Just as we were about to leave, a group of girls came parading in. It was Bree, the most popular girl in Citysville High, and her friends. They were gossiping about God-knows-what when they caught sight of me and Blossom.

"Oh, if it isn't the freak and the nerd," Bree sneered, giving us disgusted looks. A few of the girls gave me mean looks and I subconsciously took a step behind my sister.

Blossom rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Come on, Bubbles, we'd better get to class."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I sighed in relief.

"Thanks. I hate it when she calls me a freak."

"She's just jealous of you," Blossom replied. "I wouldn't take her words to heart. She's not the brightest crayon in the box, you know."

I didn't know what to say so I remained quiet. When we finally got to English, the bell rang.

We just barely made it on time.

"All right, class, please take your seats," Ms. Morris said, clapping her hands to get our attention. "We have a lot to do today, so let's get started right away."

I tuned out her words as I began to doodle in my notebook. Just as I was completing a few flowers, the door opened.

In stepped Robin, her short brown hair messy and her eyes half-closed. She looked like she just woke up; knowing her, she probably did. Robin had a bad habit of staying up late and then sleeping through her alarm in the morning.

"Ah, so good of you to join us today, Robin," Ms. Morris greeted sarcastically.

"Good to be here," Robin replied with a yawn. She began to stroll over to the seat next to me.

"One more late and you're getting detention."

"Yeah, I know. Won't happen again."

With a roll of her eyes, the teacher continued the lesson. Robin nudged me.

"Hey. What's new?"

"Not much," I whispered back. "Did you sleep in again?"

She yawned. "Freaking alarm is always trying to sabotage my beautiful dreams. I'll have you know I had a dream I was eating all the pizza in the world. If my stupid alarm didn't go off, I would have worked my way up to the mountains of ice cream and brownies waiting for me."

I giggled. "I think you have an addiction to food, Robin."

She grinned. "It's an epic addiction."

"Robin!" Ms. Morris glared at the girl. "Detention!"

My crazy best friend groaned. "Seriously?"

We both began to write the notes that were on the board. Right in the middle of the sentence, my pen stopped working. I opened up my backpack and started to look for another pen when I felt an icy blast of air near my cheek. I froze.

"Hey, Bubbles."

I sat up and looked around. Robin was busy writing and Blossom was quietly discussing something with the teacher. Everyone else was focusing on jotting down the notes.

So who had whispered my name?

I returned my attention to my backpack and managed to find a pencil.

"Better watch yourself, _Blondie_," the voice chuckled in my ear. I shot up in my seat. A few people turned to look at me. Even Robin looked at me skeptically.

"You okay?" Robin asked.

I nodded. "Y-yeah."

Blossom shot me a look that clearly asked the same thing. I shrugged at her.

I was probably going crazy.

With a sigh, I continued to write the notes down.

But... Well, it was weird.

Even though I was in a room full of people who were solely focused on the chalkboard, I felt like I was being watched.


	4. Chapter 3

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls. Craig McCracken does.**

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**Chapter 3**

**Blossom's POV**

My head was spinning by the time the Math Team meeting let out. I didn't mind solving complex equations, but today I was just too tired to even look at mathematical challenges. My mind was begging for sleep.

Last night, it felt like someone was watching me. Every time I closed my eyes, I could have sworn I heard something moving about.

Well... Someone or some_thing_.

Maybe there was a break-in? Or maybe we had mice?

No; couldn't be the latter. Bubbles, Buttercup, and I busted our butts keeping the house clean and pest-free. There's no way a rodent could get in.

But who knows? Maybe I was just hearing things. Sleep deprivation does funny things to the mind; you'll hear things that aren't actually there. I probably just need to get a good night's rest and then I'll be as good as new.

Besides, no one in their right mind would break into the Powerpuff home and attempt to sneak up on one of the Powerpuff girls. That's just asking for it.

"Hey, Blossom."

I turned to see Buttercup. She looked completely innocent save for the fact that she had a hand in her sweatshirt pocket, a sign she'd gotten into a fight and bloodied her knuckles. I sighed.

"Who'd you fight with this time?"

"Damn it! How do you always know?"

I gave her a pointed look. "Buttercup."

She swore under her breath. "Okay, okay. It was Bree. She was talking shit about Bubbles again, so I gave her a reason to keep her mouth shut."

Bree was the most popular girl in the school. Ever since she first laid eyes on me and my sisters, she's hated us and made sure the entire school followed her in trying to make our lives hell. Poor Bubbles got the brunt of it since she was in the cheerleading squad.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose.

_I swear, Buttercup can be so thoughtless at times._

"So I'm assuming that you're suspended again?"

"Nope." She popped the 'p'.

That surprised me. I opened my eyes to see her smirking.

"How?" I asked. "Usually Bree would have sobbed all the way to the principal's office by now."

Buttercup's smirk grew dark. "Not if she's threatened properly."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "You're insane, you know that?"

"Hey, Bubbles may be a pain in the ass, but she's still my sister. No one's allowed to make her cry unless it's me," she joked.

I shook my head. "Come on, let's go to the gym. Cheer practice should be over by now."

We walked towards the gymnasium only to see Bubbles waiting by the front doors. She was sobbing into her hands.

Buttercup and I exchanged a worried glance.

_What have the girls said to Bubbles this time?_

Upon looking up, the blonde rushed into my arms and buried her face into my shoulder. I wrapped her in a hug and patted her back in a soothing manner.

"What happened?" I asked.

"B-Bree and her friends, t-t-they..."

She hiccuped a few times before she was able to calm herself down.

"... They called me a slut a-and..."

It was then that I noticed the mark on Bubbles' cheek. It was starting to turn purple.

"They _punched_ you?!" Buttercup bellowed. She began to breathe harshly, her fists clenching and unclenching.

I sighed. "We'll deal with this later. Right now, I think we should -"

"No, I'm tired of sitting back and letting people beat on us!" Buttercup raged. She stormed into the gym. The sounds of slapping and punching bounced off the walls.

I gently pried Bubbles' arms off me and set my bag down. Bubbles sniffled a few times.

"Wait here, Bubbles."

I flew into the room. Buttercup was sitting on top of one of Bree and punching her over and over again. Blood was squirting out of her nose and she was desperately trying to block Buttercup's punches.

"Buttercup, stop!" I grabbed her by the shoulders and tried to pull her off of Bree, but she wouldn't budge. Finally, I shoved her off the girl.

At the rate Buttercup was going, she could have seriously injured Bree. While I don't like Bree and I think she deserves whatever she gets, we don't need a lawsuit against us. We have enough trouble as it is.

Buttercup rolled off and smacked her head against the floor. She groaned.

"Bloss, what the hell?"

I gave both girls my coldest stare before locking my steely gaze on Bree. "And as for _you_."

She looked up at me fearfully.

"If you ever hit Bubbles again, I won't stop Buttercup the next time she starts beating on you. Do you understand me?"

Bree nodded. She reached up to wipe blood from her nose.

"Good. Now get out of my sight."

Buttercup got up and rubbed the back of her head, groaning as she watched Bree and her friends walk out of the gym. "Sheesh, that hurt."

"Well, stop being so damn reckless and I won't have to do things like that!" I yelled. She was such a freaking idiot at times.

Buttercup muttered under her breath, but she didn't say anything else. We exited the gym and helped Bubbles to the car. The drive home was quiet, save for the soft sniffles coming from Bubbles.

As punishment, Buttercup had the chore of making dinner _and_ setting the table. I helped Bubbles cheer up by letting her put on one of her favorite movies and I sat with her while she watched it. We didn't talk much during the movie, but I cracked jokes here and there to try to get her to laugh.

When we all sat down to eat, that's when things got messy.

"I wish you'd have let me beat the shit out of her," Buttercup remarked. "You know damn well that bitch deserved every punch."

Bubbles winced when I slammed my fork down onto the table.

"And I wish you'd stop being so damn stupid! We're practically adults, Buttercup, and you can't just go around punching people when you feel like it! There are consequences!"

"Oh, so people can go around beating on Bubbles and calling us names, but if I do something to stop them,_ I'm_ the bad guy?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. There are better ways to deal with those people than just beat the crap out of them."

She gave me a funny look. "Oh? Like what?"

"Ignore them." I stabbed a few pieces of lettuce and popped them into my mouth. "They'll get bored and eventually, they'll stop."

"We've been trying that ever since we started going to that damn school!" Buttercup spat. "They obviously need to be put in their place!"

"Stop it!" Bubbles cried. Buttercup and I looked at her, startled.

Her big blue eyes were filled with tears.

"Aw, shucks, Bubbles, don't cry," Buttercup tried, but Bubbles shook her head furiously.

"Look, they aren't worth fighting over," she said. "And we shouldn't be fighting each other over what they do. We should be sticking together against them."

I nodded. "I know that, but if little miss hot-temper would cool it, we wouldn't be such big targets."

Steam practically left Buttercup's ears. "What did you say?"

"STOP!"

Bubbles stood up. Her tears were gone and replaced by anger. "Just shut up! Buttercup, I appreciate what you did today, but Blossom's right. You can't just fight everyone who makes you mad. You need to control your temper better."

Our black-haired sister leaned back in her chair and grumbled under her breath.

"And Blossom," Bubbles turned on me. "Ignoring people is not always the answer. Buttercup's right; things have only gotten worse over the years. We need to stand up for ourselves."

I sighed. "What do you think we should do, then?"

"Well," Bubbles started, then looked down. "Maybe we should... um... I don't know..."

"Today was just a bad day," I said. Both girls nodded in agreement and watched as I took my plate to the sink. "We'll figure something out, whether it's getting the principal involved or looking into alternative options. Let's all just relax and appreciate the fact that we're home."

Bubbles and Buttercup washed their plates as well. We all went upstairs to our room (the Professor's room was off-limits. It was just too painful to walk in there and see all his stuff there, waiting for him to come back when he's obviously... um... never mind) and got ready for bed.

Our bed was able to split up into three separate beds, and when we reached our teen years, that's when we decided to change things.

Bubbles' bed was near the windows, as was mine, our beds across from each other, and Buttercup's bed was near the door. We still liked our respective colors and still wore matching outfits sometimes.

Hey, just because we're adults doesn't mean we aren't still the infamous Powerpuff girls.

As I was beginning to fall asleep, I felt cool lips brush against the back of my neck.

"Good night, Pinky."

That's when my eyes snapped open and I came face-to-face with gleaming red eyes.


	5. Chapter 4

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls, but I AM a huge fan of them :D**

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**Chapter 4**

**Buttercup's POV**

"Oh my God!" Blossom screamed.

I immediately sat up.

"Wha'sa matter?" I slurred. I had just fallen asleep when Blossom let out a blood-curdling scream.

Bubbles turned the light on. "Blossom?"

Our red-haired sister was sitting upright, hand on the back of her neck, trying to calm her breathing. She was as pale as a ghost.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Blossom let out a long breath. "No. _Worse_."

"What do you mean?" Bubbles inquired.

Blossom bit her lip. "You'll think I'm crazy."

"Try us," Bubbles replied. "You're probably the sanest out of the three of us."

I nodded in agreement. Blossom was the one thing keeping our broken family together.

"Well, I... I saw something," Blossom said. "In the dark."

Bubbles' eyes widened. She crushed her stuffed animal to her chest.

"A monster?"

"Sort of." Blossom swung her legs over the side of her bed and buried her face in her hands. She let out a shuddering sigh.

"Just spill it," I said, yawning. "It can't be all that bad."

"I think I saw Brick."

An eerie chill ran down my spine. Bubbles grew pale.

"Brick? You mean the leader of the Rowdyruff Boys?" I asked.

Blossom nodded.

The Rowdyruff Boys disappeared years ago. No one knows what happened to them and, honestly, no one really cared.

"And I heard him speak," Blossom continued. "He said 'good night, Pinky'."

_Yeah. That's Brick, all right._

"Are you sure it wasn't a dream?" I asked. "Maybe you dreamed you heard his voice?"

But the frightened look on Blossom's face told me it was not a dream.

What she saw and heard was the real deal.

Bubbles lowered her eyes. "W-well, I thought I heard Boomer today."

Another chill ran down my spine.

What if they really _were_ back?

"I haven't heard anything or seen anything," I stated. "And you know Butch; he's crazy."

If crazy described unstable, psychopathic behavior, that is.

Bubbles looked up from her stuffed animal.

"Maybe because he knows you'll beat the crap out of him if he tries anything," she suggested. I bit my lip.

Obviously, Butch wasn't going to try to make his presence known like his brothers had to Bubbles and Blossom. If he's anything like me, considering we're counterparts and all that, he'll do something when I least expect it and he'll make it as infuriating as possible.

When someone royally pisses me off, I try to make my revenge as unforgettable as possible.

What can I say? I have a nasty temper. And if I have a nasty temper, then he probably has one, too.

"I'm not going to school tomorrow," I announced. Blossom cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Why?"

"I want to keep an eye on the house," I explained. "We don't need it exploding or mysteriously catching on fire while we're at school."

Bubbles nodded. "I want to stay home, too. Everyone will make fun of my bruise."

Blossom sighed. "Well, I guess all three of us will be playing hooky tomorrow. I don't exactly want to be caught alone if the Ruffs are running amok."

The silence that followed was one of unease. Blossom, Bubbles, and I exchanged glances.

It reminded me of when we were kids; sometimes we'd have nights where we'd sneak a scary movie or read a scary book after the Professor had gone to bed. Afterwards, we'd stay up together and watch out for any possible monsters, giving each other uneasy glances and jumping at every little noise. All that was missing was the Professor's soft snores down the hall.

"You know, I think we should move our beds back together," I suggested. "If the boys really are back, I don't want to be caught off-guard."

Blossom nodded in agreement. "And if one of us ends up in trouble, the other two will immediately wake up."

We moved our beds back together, with Bubbles taking the middle. We decided to sleep with the lights on, but it didn't make much of a difference.

Every sound was a Rowdyruff, every object and every moving shadow was one of the boys ready to attack.

By the time it was four in the morning, Bubbles and Blossom had passed out, leaving me the only one awake.

Slowly, but surely, I surrendered to my own exhaustion.


	6. Chapter 5

**I don't own the PPG. That honor goes to Craig McCracken.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**Bubbles' POV**

I woke up first.

Blossom was still sleeping and Buttercup looked like she'd just fallen asleep. There were dark circles under her eyes and the way she was breathing indicated she was in a deep sleep.

I got up and grabbed an outfit before walking into the bathroom to get myself ready for the day. There was no rush, of course; none of us were going to school today.

When I was just finishing up, there was a knock on the door.

"Bubbles?" It was Blossom.

"Yeah?" I set my hairbrush down. I usually put my hair up in a ponytail or pigtails, but today I felt like leaving it down. When I was younger, my hair was pin-straight, but now I had light curls.

"Are you almost done?"

I took one last look at myself in the mirror before opening the door. Blossom had major bed-head and she was in the middle of a yawn.

"The bathroom is all yours," I said, bowing. She chuckled.

"Thanks."

I went downstairs into the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. Once I had finished pouring milk into my cereal, Blossom joined me. Her mane of red hair was up in a messy ponytail and she looked more awake.

It's amazing how a few cold splashes of water to the face can wake a person up.

"Did you get any sleep?" Blossom asked. She opened up one of the cabinets and pulled out one of the Professor's coffee mugs. It was the one he always used to use when he was working in the lab.

We all had little things of the Professor's. Blossom always used his coffee mug, I still held onto Octi whenever I became upset, and Buttercup still had her green security blanket. Even though these were just material possessions, they still meant a great deal to us.

We still missed our daddy a lot and I know it killed my sisters just as much as it killed me to know that he was never coming back. We would never see him again.

I didn't realize tears were building behind my eyes until my vision grew too blurry to see.

I quickly shook those depressing thoughts away. Sure, we may never get to see the Professor again, but he was still with us, right? He'd always be here with us, we just couldn't hear him or see him anymore.

Right?

Right.

Blossom finished making tea and poured it into the mug. The sound of the rich liquid splashing against the ceramic cup pulled me from my thoughts. I remembered that she'd asked me a question.

"Somewhat, but it was a very light sleep," I replied. "I was half-awake and half-asleep. I thought one of the Ruffs would attack while we were all sleeping and I wanted to be able to fight back if they did."

"I thought about that before I fell asleep," Blossom said, lifting the mug to her lips. "And I think Brick let himself be caught so that we would all get paranoid and lose sleep. We wouldn't be in good condition to fight if we needed to."

That made a lot of sense. "I didn't even think of that. That's... clever considering they're the Rowdyruff Boys."

Blossom didn't reply. She looked at the sliding doors that led to our backyard.

A few thumps signaled Buttercup was awake. Within a minute or so, she sauntered into the kitchen.

"Hey," she mumbled. Her hair was a tangled mess.

"I'm guessing you were up all night," Blossom commented. Buttercup groaned.

"I fell asleep around four," she replied. "I'm tired."

She opened the fridge and grabbed a can of Coke. She cracked it open and took a long sip.

"Well, we've got a three-day weekend," I said, trying to make things seem brighter. "And we're going to the mall tomorrow to meet with Robin. Right, Blossom?"

She nodded. "Right. And today we can just relax, take it easy. I have off this weekend, but I have to go into work this afternoon."

We all gravitated towards the living room and put on a movie. During the first half, Buttercup went upstairs to clean herself up and Blossom ended up going into the kitchen to make herself lunch for when she had to go to work. As I watched it alone, I began to feel like our family really had been torn apart. Before the Professor passed away, we all did everything together; family time meant spending actual time together. We would put aside anything we were doing to cuddle up together in the living room to watch a movie, watch television, or even just to play board games.

I felt kind of lonely as my sisters were off taking care of their own stuff.

But halfway through the movie, Blossom and Buttercup joined me with a big bowl of popcorn and we ended up laughing hysterically over comments Buttercup made about the movie.

Finally, when two-thirty came around, Blossom left to go to work. She gave me and Buttercup a hug before pulling out of the driveway and leaving.

As Buttercup took over the television to play video games, I decided to make macaroni and cheese for dinner.

While I was cooking, I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me.

I had a really, _really_ bad feeling in my gut.

_Please let Blossom get home okay_, I thought. She was the leader, and if something happened to her, well, I wouldn't know what to do. Buttercup could lead, but she was very stubborn and impulsive. Blossom always kept her head in bad situations; we _needed_ her.

_Please let Blossom be okay.._


	7. Chapter 6

**For those of you wondering about the sequel, don't worry! There's a reason why I'm rewriting this lol it's to get back into the swing of the story. And change the writing so it's not so awkward and raw.**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Blossom's POV**

"But this coupon should still be good!"

"Ma'am, this coupon expired two years ago," I replied. Goodness, why couldn't this lady just accept that her coupon was invalid and pay for her stuff? And if she couldn't pay for her stuff, then why couldn't she just leave?

"There's no way!" she persisted. "Where's your manager, Missy? I'd like a word with him!"

I sighed. "Pete?"

"Right here." He strode over towards the woman and pulled her to the side. When she turned away from me, I shot Pete a grateful smile. I rang up the remaining customers of the night, some of whom shot me sympathetic looks as they handed me their credit cards.

By the time I was closing down the register, the woman was still going off on Pete, even shouting insults. I even heard her refer to me as 'that red-headed hussy'.

I rubbed my temples.

_Good grief._

Eventually, though, she gave up and left, leaving the clothes she'd almost purchased behind.

Pete let out a long sigh. "Man, that was a headache."

"Sorry." I shot him an apologetic smile. Pete waved it off.

"No problem. You should probably get going; it's my turn to close up tonight."

I blushed. "Are you sure? I could close up if you want."

"It's a Friday night. Pretty girls like you should go out and have fun," he said, winking. "Don't worry about me; I'll close everything up tonight. Go have fun, okay?"

"Thank you," I replied.

I wasn't going out to have fun tonight, as Pete probably expected me to; as soon as I could get my purse, I was headed home. I wanted to get back to the house as soon as possible to make sure my sisters were okay.

I took one last glance at Pete. His dark hair was spiked and his light green eyes were gleaming with friendliness; he was one of the cutest guys I had ever seen. We'd been friends ever since I started working here and I guess you could say I developed a tiny crush on him. He's always been there for me and he always knows how to make me laugh when I'm down.

I walked over and gave him a quick hug. Pete smelled so nice; I almost didn't want to let him go.

He returned the hug and then let me go.

"See you Monday, Bloss."

I couldn't help but blush. "Bye, Pete."

He's such an amazing guy. Too bad I had too much on my plate to even think about having a boyfriend.

I went to the employee lounge and grabbed my purse. Just as I had slung it over my shoulder, unease churned in my stomach.

Something was wrong.

Nevertheless, I left the employee lounge and went out to the parking lot. It was practically empty, save for the Professor's old car and Pete's Mustang.

I had just started walking to my car when I heard a throat clear behind me.

"I think you forgot to kiss your little boyfriend good night, _Pinky_."

I tensed.

"So, you decided to show yourself," I snapped. I turned to face him.

His reddish hair was still long and held back by his red cap. His arms were folded over his chest and the red T-shirt he wore showed off a little muscle. His black jeans were slightly ripped, but that was just the style these days.

I had to admit, for a superhuman villain, Brick was kind of.. hot.

Wait, what am I thinking?! He's not hot!

He's evil. _Pete_ is hot.

"Well, it _was_ fun messing with you guys," he admitted, his mouth turning up into a sarcastic smirk. "Especially when you screamed your head off last night. You sound really pretty when you scream."

I was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep, but I made sure I shot him the nastiest glare I could manage.

"What do you want, Brick?" I spat. "If you're looking to freak me and my sisters out, you're out of luck. We're not stupid and we know what type of stuff you and your moronic brothers pull. You'd better leave us alone, because I will not hesitate to fight you if you continue to bother us."

"Big threat, there, Blossy." He rolled his eyes. "But you're wrong. I'm not looking to freak you and your sisters out. I've come back to claim what's mine."

He stepped off the wall and began to approach me. I stood my ground, my chin slightly raised to show my defiance.

Whatever he was going to do, I was ready.

Imagine my surprise when Brick suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his chest.

He rested his head on top of mine. The boy was probably my age and yet he towered over me by at least two inches.

"W-what are you doing?" I asked, pressing my hands against his chest. Where was the cheap shot I was expecting?

"My brothers and I have different plans for you and your sisters, Blossom," he whispered in my ear. I winced at the huskiness of his voice.

"Plans? What are you talking about?"

Brick grinned, revealing two abnormally-long canines. He began to lean into my neck when I decided I'd had enough.

I brought my knee up sharply into his most sensitive area. Brick hissed and bent over to clutch his hurt manhood when I swung my foot up to connect with his side. He went sprawling across the parking lot, landing in a few bushes.

I dusted off my jeans before I rolled my shoulders back.

It'd been years since I'd fought anyone, but I still knew how to send someone packing.

I was a Powerpuff girl. I could handle any enemy.

I had no idea what Brick was going to do, but I didn't like the sound of it. I had to get back to my sisters as soon as possible.

_What if this is a trap?_ I thought. _What if while he fights with me, his brothers are attacking our house? What if the girls are in trouble?_

Before I could even think to fly up into the sky and rush home, Brick sat up and rubbed his head.

"What the fuck, Blossom?"

"I don't know what you want with me and my sisters," I growled. "But I won't stand here and let you play mind games with me. I want you and your brothers to leave me and my sisters alone for good. Stay out of our lives!"

An animalistic snarl escaped his throat. A violent chill rippled through my body; what the hell was wrong with him?

"Bad move, Pinky," he warned. Suddenly, with inhuman speed (and I do mean inhuman speed; I'm a superhuman and he was way faster than me!), he lunged at me and tackled me to the ground. We rolled, struggling and wrestling with each other, before he had me pinned against the asphalt.

"Get _off_!" I screamed. I thrashed underneath his grip. I went to thrust my knee up when he sat down on my waist.

I tried to punch him, but Brick merely pinned my wrists against the pavement.

"Don't worry," he said. "You'll see your sisters very soon. Maybe, if they behave, we'll even let them live." There was a dark glint in his eye; it made me want to crawl under a rock and hide.

"Don't you _dare _touch them!"

"Too late, Pinky." He stroked my cheek. I turned my face away, not wanting to see that arrogant, smug look on his face. Brick grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

"We need you and your sisters now more than ever. And you're the perfect bait to bring Bubbles and Buttercup right to us."

"Wha-" My word was cut off.

I screamed when he opened his mouth, revealing those unusually-sharp canines for the second time, and leaned down, plunging them into my neck.


	8. Chapter 7

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Buttercup's POV**

I stared at the clock above the stove, tapping my fingers against the table impatiently.

Two-thirty in the morning.

_Where the hell is she?_

Blossom always got home by ten. What was taking her so long?

Bubbles was upstairs asleep; she always went to bed around ten. We weren't sure who should stay up to make sure Blossom got home safe and sound, but the kid looked exhausted. I told her that I'd stay up to meet Blossom and told her to get some sleep. She had protested, but after a couple of yawns and me giving her one of my glares, she trudged upstairs, muttering a 'good night'.

So here I was, sitting at the kitchen table, watching every minute slowly tick by while Bubbles slept soundly upstairs. I was exhausted; I hadn't gotten any sleep last night and it was really starting to weigh on me.

Boy, when I got my hands on the Rowdyruffs, I'd definitely teach them not to mess with Buttercup Utonium's sleep.

I yawned and put my head down.

_God, I'm so tired. Maybe if I put my head down for just a minute..._

My mind grew blank. I felt like I was falling, but not in a scary way. I was falling asleep.

Colors invaded my vision. The beginnings of a dream were beginning to show up behind my eyelids.

I began to make out the outlines of a sink and some kitchen counters.

_I'm dreaming of our kitchen?_

Suddenly, I felt something tighten around my waist.

_Wait..._

I looked down to see the back of a black sweatshirt. I looked up to see the kitchen moving farther away.

_This isn't a dream!_ I realized. _I'm being carried!_

I drove my heel into the stomach of whoever was carrying me. I heard a grunt before I fell onto the floor.

Whoever my would-be kidnapper was obviously wasn't too smart. I would never allow myself to be kidnapped without a fight.

I rolled and brought myself to a crouching position. My captor turned around and I nearly laughed.

"You're retarded if you think you can just waltz in here and kidnap me, Butch."

He grinned at me, showing off two rows of pearly-white teeth.

_Too bad I'm gonna knock 'em out, one by one!_

Butch lunged at me and I zoomed out of his way just in the nick of time. I spun around and planted my heel right in his lower back.

"Bitch!" he hissed. I felt my chest heaving.

The adrenaline pumping through my veins, the tightening of my fists, the power coursing throughout my body... I hadn't felt this good about a fight since I was a kid, fighting monsters left and right. This was gonna be one _hell_ of a fight!

Butch chuckled. "Well, you've still got it. Too bad I've got a few tricks up my sleeve this time."

I made the universal 'come at me' gesture with my hand. Butch smirked.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

He flew towards me. My foot was just a hair out of place, otherwise I could've stepped out of the way and tackled his sorry ass.

Instead, he caught me and we ended up rolling across the floor. I got the upper hand and ended up on top of him. I slammed my fists into his face, punching left and right, left and right, over and over.

"This is for screwing with me and my sisters, you asshole!"

Blood spurted from his nose and he growled.

Our positions changed; Butch ended up on top of me. He grabbed my forearms and pinned them against the cool tiles. I made myself look shocked.

Butch laughed, his bangs falling over his eyes.

"What's the matter? A little bit rusty?"

A few drops of blood dripped onto my cheek. "Heh... You wish!"

He brought his face closer to mine. "You might as well quit now, babe. I'm ten times stronger than you; you'll never win this little fight."

I grinned and took the opportunity to slam my forehead against his. It hurt like hell, but judging by Butch's sharp intake of breath, it hurt him too.

He slammed me against the ground. "Stop fucking doing that!"

"Doing what? Kicking your ass?" I used my laser beams to zap at his arms. Butch lifted them, clutching at his burned flesh. I shoved him off me and into the nearest wall. The whole house shook; I would probably catch shit from Blossom later.

"'Cause that's what I'm good at!"

I lunged at him again only to see him move out of the way at breakneck speed. My fist met the wall. Blood welled on my knuckles and I winced.

_Fuck! How did he move so fast?!_

Arms wrapped around my waist. I immediately started to struggle.

"I'll admit, you got in a few cheap shots," Butch growled against my ear. "But it's over. You're mine."

With that, he bit down on my neck, two sharp points piercing my skin. I could handle a little, hell, _a lot_ of pain, but nothing compared to this.

"Get off!" I screamed. "Get off, get off, _get off_!"

Butch stayed glued to my neck. It felt like all my blood was getting pulled out of me. It hurt like hell... Worse than any pain I've ever felt.

My vision blurred. I began to see eight chairs instead of four.

_No... Gotta stay awake... Bubbles..._

In a final attempt to free myself, I brought my elbow into Butch's side. He chuckled against my neck.

His grip lessened and I fell to the floor, my cheek slamming against the cold tiles. My hair fell over my face.

_No way... I have to get back up._

Just as I was beginning to sit up, Butch slammed his fist into my gut. I coughed and clutched my stomach, glaring up at him.

"It'll take more than... a few cheap shots... to keep me... down..."

"That was for punching me in the face," he growled. "And this is for headbutting me."

He slammed his foot into my side. I fell onto the floor, but not before my temple smashed against the floor and blackness overcame my senses.


	9. Chapter 8

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Bubbles' POV**

_Slam!_

_Crash!_

I jolted awake.

What on earth was going on downstairs? Had Blossom come back and gotten into a fight with Buttercup?

No, Blossom wasn't reckless. When Buttercup was in explosive moods, Blossom never entertained her.

I opened my eyes only to see big blue eyes staring down at me.

"Ah!" I cried, and scrambled backwards. My back hit the headboard.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness around me, I noticed more of the thing's features.

Blonde hair that was cut short, big blue eyes that were just a few shades darker than my eyes, and a lean, lanky form.

"Boomer?"

"Hi, Bubbles." He smiled softly. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Simple." Boomer looked pleased with himself. "I'm here to kidnap you."

I stared at him, trying to process the five words he'd just said.

"No," I replied.

He cocked his head to the side. "No?"

"You're not kidnapping me." I made my voice sound firm, even though I was shaking like a leaf.

Boomer leaned in close. "Are you sure about that?"

"As sure as I'm a Powerpuff." I shifted. Boomer's unwavering stare was beginning to make me uncomfortable. There was something off about him, something that just about made my skin crawl.

"You mean you wouldn't want to come away with me somewhere? Just the two of us?"

"Why would I want to do that?" I wrinkled my nose. "You're my enemy."

Hurt crossed his features. "What if I didn't want to be?"

That caught me off-guard.

"Well... I'm not sure what to do, then..."

Boomer leaned closer to me. His breath fanned across my lips.

"Please?"

"No. Blossom wouldn't approve of it."

"Forget Blossom. What do _you_ want to do?"

I bit my lip. "I'll fight you if I have to."

"Really? What if I did this?"

I was about to ask him what he was going to do when he suddenly kissed me. His lips were warm and they tasted so good, like fresh peppermint.

I didn't even realize I was kissing him back until I felt Boomer's hands wrap around my waist and pull me closer to him.

If Blossom ever found out about this, she'd have my head.

But wow... Boomer was really good at kissing...

_Maybe... Maybe this could just be our little secret?_

I tangled my fingers in his hair and brought him closer to me, if that was even possible. Our bodies were already so close.

His tongue rubbed against my lower lip and I parted my lips.

When his tongue began to roam my mouth, licking at every crevice, I moaned.

Boomer pulled away, leaving me breathless.

"I really like you, Bubbles," he whispered. "Do you... um... well..."

His shyness made me blush.

Even though he was supposed to be my enemy, he sure was cute!

"Do you think you could give me a chance? You know... As in together? Or even friends?"

I frowned. As much as I thought he was cute and I wanted to kiss him again, Blossom would never approve; whatever she said became the law in our house, and I would never disobey her. She had kept us alive and together for years; I had no reason to doubt her decisions.

"Boomer, I think you're cute, but I don't think we can be friends, or even together. My sisters and your brothers wouldn't approve of it."

He sighed. "I thought you might say that."

Suddenly, Boomer's lips were hovering over my neck. "I'm sorry about this, Bubbles, but my brothers and I are supposed to have you and your sisters in our care by the time the sun comes up."

"W-what?"

He sank his teeth into my skin and I whimpered.

"Boomer, what are you doing?"

He didn't reply. I was soon met with the most intense pain I've ever felt. It felt like tiny bombs had been implanted in my veins and then suddenly exploded.

I reached up to pull him off my neck. "Stop! It _hurts_, Boomer! Please!"

But he didn't ease up. Boomer gripped my shoulder harder.

Right when I felt like I was at the edge of death, Boomer released his hold on me.

"I'm really sorry, Bubbles," he whispered, holding me against him. "But this had to be done. I had to mark you."

I only had enough energy to look up at him.

I was shocked to see Boomer's lips tainted with my blood.

"Sleep," he whispered.

Sleep I did.


	10. Chapter 9

**To Guest: *stories**

**To SnowTamashi Ai: thanks! :)**

**To mlbv-grimm: thank you! Don't worry, I will :)**

**To epiclyCraZy1966: thanks! :)**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Blossom's POV**

My head felt like it had gone through a window.

_Ugh... What happened?_

I opened my eyes and immediately winced. The light in this room was way too bright for my liking.

After keeping my eyes closed for a few minutes, I tried again, this time blinking a few times to let my vision adjust.

I was propped upright on a bed, my wrists tied behind me and my ankles bound together by rope. Judging by the silky red sheets and the assortment of throw pillows, I was on a bed.

I did not like this situation at all.

_Come on, think!_ I mentally scolded myself. _How did I end up here? Come on, Blossom, think!_

A creaking noise tore me from my thoughts. It took me a minute to realize it was a door opening.

"Well, look who decided to wake up."

Memories flooded my mind. I clenched my teeth together.

_Bastard._

"Gee, long time no see."

He laughed at my sarcastic words and sat on the bed. His deep scarlet eyes bore into mine with intensity.

"You gave me a scare, there, Pinky," he said, a smirk on his lovely features. I couldn't help but notice just how sharp and more defined his face was. It looked like he had lost all his baby fat, which left behind a handsome, angular jaw, as well as eyes that looked like rubies on fire.

"I thought I'd taken too much blood," Brick continued. He moved closer to me. "But I just couldn't stop, you know? Other girls taste sweet, but you taste like nothing I've ever had before. You taste _better_."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, feeling my stomach turn slightly at the very thought of him drinking blood. "You were drinking my blood? Just how sick in the head _are_ you?"

Brick grinned, revealing abnormally-large canines. Two and two clicked.

"The lead Rowdyruff is a vampire?" I wrinkled my nose. "And here I thought you couldn't be any more repulsive."

He smirked. "Repulsive? Try fucking _amazing_, Blossy."

I shook my head. "Why did you kidnap me?"

His face grew serious. "I can't tell you that, yet."

"Why?" I snorted. "What are you planning? That I'll die of suspense?"

Brick cracked a grin at my sarcasm. "Well, that's new. Blossom's got a sense of humor. I guess hell really has frozen over."

Suddenly, his expression grew grim. He turned to look at the door.

"I'll be right back. Stay here."

My temper flared. "I'm tied up, you asshole! Where am I supposed to go?!"

To my surprise, he didn't reply; instead, he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Being bound by rope, thinking about Brick and his 'condition', him drinking blood, my sisters... My thoughts swirled around and around until I couldn't take it anymore. I must have been in that room for an eternity.

All right, so I'm exaggerating a little; there wasn't exactly a clock anywhere. I had no idea how long I had been there.

I sighed and tried to shift into a more comfortable position when I realized the rope around my wrists was loose.

_Finally, some good luck!_

I looked around for something I could use to rub against the rope until it tore, but unfortunately, the entire bedroom seemed to be full of soft things. Even the wood of the bed posts was smooth.

Suddenly, it came to me.

Stretching my legs to their full length, I managed to roll myself off the bed and onto the floor. Miraculously, my head didn't smack against anything and when my body hit the floor, it didn't hurt as much as I anticipated it would.

Pulling myself into a sitting position, I worked my arms down to my butt, then under my feet, then pulled them over my shoes. Once my wrists were near my stomach, I used my laser-beams to burn the rope in half.

Once my hands were free, blood rushed back into my fingers and I flexed them.

I burned the rope off my ankles and stretched my legs.

_Okay, now that that's settled, I've got to find a way out of here and back to my sisters._

As I neared the door, I pressed my ear against it.

Brick's voice was distant so I would be free to look around and find an escape.

But first... I'll admit, I was curious.

What on earth were the boys planning for us?

I turned the knob and was pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked.

_Brick, you idiot. When you're holding someone captive, you're usually supposed to lock the door whether they're tied up or not._

I opened the door just a crack and gave the hallway a cautious once-over, just to make sure Brick wasn't hiding somewhere and waiting for me to walk by.

Once the coast was clear, I tiptoed down the long hallway.

Including the bedroom I had just been in, there were two other rooms with open doors, one of which was a bathroom. At the end of the hallway was a large parlor. The furniture looked very old-fashioned, like something out of the 1930s, perhaps even the early 1940s. How the boys could get their hands on furniture this dated is beyond me.

The glass coffee table held a few scattered papers. I peered over them, not daring to pick them up. If Brick was anything like me -which he was, just in boy form-, then he would be able to hear a paper rustle from a mile away.

Unfortunately, the papers held no useful information. I had wasted precious time poring over them.

Brick's voice was beginning to grow closer. I frantically looked around for a hiding spot.

_Aha!_ My mind cried. _Perfect!_

I flew up to the chandelier. Some of its bronze pieces were big enough for me to hide behind. If I positioned myself just right, no one would be able to see me.

Just as I had positioned myself to be hidden, Brick and his brothers entered the room. Butch was smirking, Boomer's expression was unreadable, and Brick looked irritated.

Boomer and Butch looked way different from how they looked as children. Boomer's hair had been cut short, but just long enough to reach the middle of his ears. He had a decent figure and, surprisingly, honest doe-like eyes.

Butch still had a crazed look in his green eyes, but it seemed duller. He had a bit more muscle than his brothers, which wasn't a shocker considering he probably worked out like a maniac (he was, after all, Buttercup's counterpart, and that right there screams 'insanely strong'). Butch didn't look like the type of guy to look at in the wrong way, let alone try to mess with. His black hair was styled over one eye, giving him a punk/emo look.

I held my breath when Brick began to speak. I couldn't afford to make a sound; I stayed afloat in mid-air, carefully keeping my legs tucked under me.

"Everything's going according to plan," Brick said. He leaned back against the couch. I almost sucked in a breath when he leaned his head back, facing the ceiling. If he hadn't closed his eyes, I would've been found out.

"I've already got Blossom locked up. How long do you think it'll take you guys to get Bubbles and Buttercup?"

"I found Bubbles last night," Boomer muttered. Butch laughed.

"I knew it," he said. "Blondie's so soft. She'll fall for anything."

Boomer looked away, his cheeks turning pink. He looked ashamed.

So, he already kidnapped Bubbles. If that was the case, I would have to find her and break her out as well.

"My little vixen put up a good fight," Butch commented, a smirk on his face. For the first time, I noticed the light-purple bruises on his cheeks.

Oh yeah. Buttercup never went down without a fight. During some of our arguments, it led to violence, in which the Professor had to break it up and send us each to separate rooms for a few hours. She was a nasty fighter and I sometimes questioned her loyalty to me and Bubbles, but she was a great ally to have. Buttercup always seemed to have my back, as well; whatever I told her and Bubbles to do in a fight, she listened (well, after a bit of grumbling, anyway) and enforced it if Bubbles began to question it.

If they caught both Bubbles and Buttercup, then I would have to figure out a way to get them out of here.

I noticed that Brick gave his brothers an unreadable look. I bit the inside of my cheek.

_What is he doing?_

"Too bad they got away," Butch said, disappointed. He sighed. "And to think I had her pinned and I was about to give back to her tenfold of what she did to my face. Shame."

Brick looked irritated, but somehow it looked fake. "They got away? Are you kidding me?!"

Boomer nodded, still not looking at his brothers. His gaze was focused on his shoes.

Suddenly, my leg slipped. My shoe brushed the tip of the chandelier and it swayed slightly, the crystals clanking together. I winced.

Not good.

Brick, Butch, and Boomer stiffened.

"Looks like we've got company," Butch murmured.

I bit the inside of my cheek. All three boys began to look up at the chandelier.

_Uh oh._


	11. Chapter 10

**To Whiwee13: What do you mean?**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Buttercup's POV**

I knew I was tied up from the moment I began to regain consciousness.

"Butch!" I screamed. I thrashed in my restraints. "You better untie me RIGHT NOW before I bust out of here and kick your scrawny ass!"

After what seemed like hours of throwing myself against my restraints, I grew tired. I was panting and I'm pretty sure there were beads of sweat on my forehead.

I looked around. The room I was in resembled something out of a horror movie. Small candelabras were lit, giving off dim lighting. Thick drapes locked all sunlight out, and the entire room seemed to be empty save for what I was laying on. Well, that's what I think, anyway; I could barely see anything, and my eyes were far better than human eyes.

I was strapped to some sort of stone, with a large pillow underneath me. Three thick leather straps held me down.

If anything, it felt like I was laying on a sacrificial alter.

Was that Butch's plan? To sacrifice me to some freaky deity?

Oh, _hell_ no!

I started to struggle again when I heard a door squeak open.

Heavy footsteps echoed off the walls. I frantically looked around, trying to pinpoint my enemy's location, when he stepped into plain view.

Now that I got a better look at Butch, I noticed that he was pretty cute... er, ugly! I mean ugly as sin.

Butch stepped into the room with noisy combat boots, tight black skinny jeans, and a green hoodie. He grinned at me, showing off his pearly-white teeth.

I smiled in satisfaction when I saw two light-purple shiners on his cheeks.

"Would ya look at that?" I barked. "Butchy got beat up by a girl. What a sissy."

"Shut up," he growled, the grin gone in an instant. It was like someone flipped a switch; bi-polar much?

I laughed. "You're so easy to piss off; I love it. You're not gonna have a fun time with me as your captive, I can tell you that right now."

I don't know how, but Brick ended up mere inches from my face. He exhaled, his cool breath fanning across my lips and my cheeks.

"Buttercup, if you know what's good for you, you'll shut up right now."

"Aww, did I hurt wittle Butchy's feewings?" I mocked. He sighed.

"Brick did warn me that you'd try to get under my skin. All right, then."

Suddenly, the restraints were off. Before I could do anything, Butch had me pinned against the stone.

His lips hovered dangerously close to mine.

The sickest part was that I could feel my heart start to beat faster, my blood whooshing in my ears. The fact that he was so close to me, his lips even closer to my own...

I couldn't speak. I could barely even breathe. Was he going to kiss me? _I hope so..._

_Just stop! Freaking traitorous thoughts... Sheesh..._

"Look at that," Butch mused. "She finally shut up."

I turned away and glared at the wall. "Get off me, you loser."

"Nah." He leaned on his elbows. "I like it here. The weather's nicer up here."

He chuckled at his own joke. What a dork.

I closed my eyes in annoyance. "All right, fine. You win."

"What?"

"You win. I'm done fighting." _Yeah, just until you get off me and start to leave the room, you dumbass._

"Really?" He looked surprised. "Uh... You sure?"

I sighed and pretended to look really glum. "Yeah... I mean, I'm tired, you know?"

Butch sat up. "Huh.."

Just as he hopped off the table, I sat up.

I tackled him to the ground and we struggled with each other until he was underneath me, with me straddling his waist and holding his hands above his head.

"Idiot!" I laughed. "Did you _really_ think I'd just give up?"

Butch grinned. "I was waiting for you to do that."

He easily flipped our positions, holding my hands above my head and sitting on my waist. He put a lot of his weight down on my body so I couldn't move.

"You just don't stop, do you?"

"Not really," I replied. "I'll stop when I'm dead."

Butch lowered his head to my neck. Two sharp points poked at the tender skin.

"I can arrange that, you know."

Memories came flooding back to me. Butch fighting with me, me getting in a few good punches (of course I could; I'm just that awesome), then Butch biting down on my neck and getting in a few good hits of his own.

"Go ahead," I snapped. "I don't care."

"Aw, now that's no fun. What about your sisters?"

An icy chill ran down my spine. "What about them?"

"If you die, what will happen to them?" Butch changed his position so that he was sitting. "My brothers might not be as nice to them as you think."

"You have them here?" _Shit_. If Blossom and Bubbles were here, then I'd have to break them out, too.

This situation just keeps getting better and better. Note the sarcasm.

Butch nodded. "Brick's got Blossy and Boomer practically seduced Bubbles. I guess your sisters are easier to persuade than you thought."

No. My sisters weren't like that at all.

"Butch!" That sounded like Brick.

Butch sighed. "So much for spending time with my precious captive. Oh well."

In a flash, he had helped me up and placed me back on the alter-thingy. He wrapped three new leather straps around me in record time and left the room without another word.

I had to figure out a way to get out of here.

But first... Oh, boy... I was gonna beat the living crap out of Butch.

Mark. My. Words.


	12. Chapter 11

**Don't worry! It's still me; just changed my pen name.**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Bubbles' POV**

I woke up to the sound of a door closing.

"Bubbles?" a soft voice called. "Are you awake yet?"

"What?" I murmured. "Five more minutes, please.."

Someone chuckled in my ear. I lifted my hand to swat whoever had leaned over me. It was probably Buttercup; she loved trying to freak me out, especially when I was just waking up. She was a total prankster.

My hand reached up and touched soft skin, some lips, and a nose. Said lips kissed the palm of my hand.

Okay... Buttercup has never gone _that_ far.

I opened my eyes to see big blue eyes staring at me.

I shot up in bed. "Oh my God!"

"What?" Concern flashed in Boomer's eyes. "Did I scare you again?"

"Kind of!" I snapped. "Do you enjoy sneaking up on other people while they're sleeping?"

"Not everyone;. just you." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes. I looked around and noticed that I wasn't in my room.

"Uh... Where am I?" My voice came out squeakier than I intended.

"Well, you're in my room," Boomer replied, sitting up on the bed. He had been hovering over me.

I noticed, once again, how handsome my counterpart had become. His blonde hair looked just a little messy, but it still looked good. His eyes were wide with friendliness and a hint of a smile graced his lips.

The entire bedroom was blue-themed. Boomer's bed was covered in white sheets as well as a dark blue comforter. He had a small table with two chairs near the window and there were a few pictures hanging up on the wall. Most of them looked like kids' drawings, but a few of them looked expertly drawn.

I got up and went over to get a better look at them.

"Did you draw these?" I asked.

Boomer nodded. He blushed slightly. "I like reading comic books and I figured I'd try to draw some of the characters. Do you like them?"

"These are really good," I replied. "You would make one heck of a cartoonist."

"T-thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck, his blush becoming more prominent.

Suddenly, I remembered how I got here.

"Hey! You kidnapped me!" I cried. I realized how delayed that reaction was, me reacting to his kidnapping me, and I felt myself blush.

_I'm so stupid sometimes. I bet Buttercup would smack me upside the head if she was here._

_Oh my Gosh: Buttercup!_

"Where's Buttercup?" I demanded. I was in Boomer's face within seconds. He blinked before pushing me back a little bit.

"Calm down, Bubbles, she -"

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" I jabbed a finger in his chest. "What did you do to my sisters?"

"_I_ didn't do anything," he replied. "But I can't say the same for my brothers."

My stomach churned uneasily. "What are you talking about?"

He took my hands in his. I couldn't help but notice how cool they felt; my palms must have been really warm.

"Look, Bubbles," Boomer began. "I was assigned to you since you're my counterpart. Butch is in charge of Buttercup, and Brick is in charge of Blossom. I'm not sure what they're all doing and I don't really know a whole lot about why Brick wanted you three here, but I do know that I'm kind of on your side."

_That's kind of hard to believe considering you KIDNAPPED me_, I thought bitterly.

"How do you figure?"

He looked away. "Well... While Butch is provoking the crap out of Buttercup and Brick is trying to piss Blossom off, I'm not really trying to make you mad or anything. I'm just trying to talk to you... I mean, I don't really have a problem with you, so why should I be mean to you?"

I softened. "Oh... I figured since, you know, when we were kids and we fought... You'd still hate me."

Boomer chuckled. "We were just kids, though. We weren't mature enough to realize that you guys had feelings, too. We just saw you as girls with cooties."

I smiled. "So... Does this mean we're friends?"

"Sure, if you want to be. But we're going to have to pretend to hate each other when Brick and Butch are around."

"Okay." I giggled. "So we're going to have to pretend to argue?"

When Buttercup and I were younger, we used to mess with Blossom by shouting weak insults at each other to make her think we were arguing.

Once she'd come into the room and ask what was the matter, she'd see us laughing and walk away with a huff.

That was before... Um...

Boomer's smile faded. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing," I replied. "Um, so... We're going to have to pretend to argue, right?"

He nodded. "How do you feel about the name 'Blondie'?"

I giggled. "I don't mind. What name should I call you?"

"Anything; I don't really care," he replied, laughing. "My brothers call me a lot of things, mostly curse words, so whatever you come up with, it's probably not all that bad."

"Hmm... Maybe 'stupid'? I'm not really too good with insults..."

He grinned. "Perfect."

We sat there for a few moments, just smiling and thinking over what we could do to convince the other Ruffs that Boomer was still on their side.

"So... Tell me about yourself," Boomer said, breaking the silence. I smiled.

"Well, I like all sorts of things," I began, and I lost myself to conversation.


	13. Chapter 12

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Blossom's POV**

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

_Dear God, I'm done for... My sisters and I are going to die all because of my clumsiness._

Just as the boys began to look upwards, there was a loud crash somewhere in the house. Their attention immediately snapped to the hallway that led to the room I was kept in. I almost sighed with relief.

"Boomer, Butch; you know what to do." Brick's facial expression was unreadable.

I watched them all go their separate ways, even Brick. I smiled.

_Thank goodness!_

I flew out of the room, carefully keeping quiet, and down another hallway. It led to a massive foyer with a few dust-filled rugs and end tables with old flowers.

Well, this was a way out. I flew down the stairs and tried the door.

Locked. From the inside and the outside, there was no way to unlock it. No keyhole, no sliding lock, nothing.

_Well, that's just lovely_, I thought bitterly, but then again, I hadn't expected to just walk out the front door. The boys, while not too bright in their youth, had become much craftier.

I started to fly into what looked like a kitchen. It was clean, and there were a few maids working. I hid behind a large barrel of wheat to allow myself some time to think.

I had to find my sisters. If I could find them, we could take on the Rowdyruffs together. One-on-one combat obviously doesn't work; the boys are much stronger than they were as children. But if all three of us took them on, there might be a chance of besting them. It was worth a shot, right?

Besides... The boys said Bubbles and Buttercup had gotten away. They were safe, weren't they? Unless the boys had been lying, in which-

"_BLOSSOM_!" Brick's voice shook the entire mansion.

My heart leaped into my throat.

_I have to get out of here!_

I flew through the kitchen and into the dining room.

Servants who were setting up the table stopped and stared at me, startled by my sudden entrance.

The sound of air whooshing behind me made me fly top-speed out of the dining room and right back into the parlor. I went back into the room Brick set up for me and tried to open the windows. They wouldn't budge; they were nailed shut.

_Well, as Buttercup always says, 'if there isn't an exit, make one'._

I zoomed across the room and went head-first through the window. The sound of glass shattering deafened me for a second before I realized I was free.

_Finally!_

I soared higher and higher, ignoring the biting wind and the slight pain from where glass had cut me, until I was flying next to clouds. Below me was the old mansion the boys were currently inhabiting.

It felt so good to be free again.

It seemed like hours passed by until I made it back to Townsville. Once I found my house, I landed and opened the front door.

"Bubbles? Buttercup? Are you home?"

The door was locked.

_Huh. That's odd. If the girls had gotten back, they would have left the door unlocked. Or maybe they locked it because that's what I would have told them to do?_

I lifted the welcome mat and picked up the spare key. I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The whole house was eerily quiet. I went into the kitchen only to see a hole in the wall.

_Buttercup must have fought with someone,_ I realized.

The table was knocked on its side, and a few chairs were laying next to it, one with two missing legs.

"Girls?" I called. "Are you here?"

No answer.

"Bubbles?"

I went upstairs. The Professor's room was, as always, untouched and our room was clean. The bed covers were a little messy, as if someone had gotten up in a hurry, but other than that, everything seemed to be in its rightful place.

Then it hit me: Bubbles _did_ say she was meeting Robin today.

_Maybe if I go to the mall, I'll be able to meet Bubbles and see if she's okay._

But still... That wouldn't explain Buttercup's whereabouts. Then again, she was probably out somewhere with Mitch. They always hung out on the weekends, usually at a nearby pizza place.

Maybe Brick had been messing with me. Maybe the girls hadn't been kidnapped and had just gone out with their friends for the day. Maybe they thought I had gone out or something.

Then again, they know me too well. Whenever I leave the house, I either let them know or, if they're asleep or out with their friends, I leave a note to let them know I left.

I sighed. _I might as well go to the mall and look around._

The boys said the girls got away, but whether or not they were ever kidnapped is what I'm wondering about.

Bubbles and Buttercup could handle themselves in battle, but the Rowdyruffs were much stronger than before. They could have easily overpowered the girls sometime last night while I was at work.

Whatever happened, I've got to go to the mall first.

* * *

Robin was sitting in the food court when I finally arrived at the mall. She looked worried, but as soon as she caught sight of me, she brightened up.

"Oh, hey, Blossom. Long time no see!"

I took a seat across from her. She held up a small box of French fries in offering; I politely declined.

"So, is Bubbles here?" I asked.

Robin frowned. "No. I've been waiting here since the mall opened. Bubbles hasn't called, texted, shown up, nothing. Is she all right?"

A chill ran down my spine. "So you don't know where she is?"

"No, sorry. Is something wrong?"

I rubbed my face. Goodness, I was tired. So tired of being the leader, the mother, the one who kept everything together. Sometimes I just wanted to sleep forever and not have to worry anymore.

"No," I replied. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that Bubbles hasn't been feeling well and I wanted to make sure that she was somewhere safe. Buttercup must have taken her to the doctor without telling me."

"Oh!" Robin's face lit up with realization. "So that's why she wasn't in school yesterday. Huh. Well, she could have texted me."

I didn't blame her for being a little ticked off; I'd be pretty mad if someone made plans with me, then didn't show up and didn't bother to contact me.

"Sorry," I replied. "But I told her to stay in bed, and her phone was charging downstairs. It's kind of my fault."

Robin shrugged and smiled. "No harm done. Anyway, I'm gonna go shopping. Do you want to come along?"

I couldn't afford to. I had to look for my sisters; God knows where they were.

"No, thanks." I got up and gave her a quick hug. "I've got to go. See you later, Robin."

"See ya. Tell Bubbles I said feel better, okay?"

"Sure. Thanks."

I left the mall and went back home. It was almost two in the afternoon and the girls still weren't back.

Where _were_ they?


	14. Chapter 13

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Buttercup's POV**

I opened my eyes to see Butch hovering over me, his green eyes filled with fire.

"What the fuck is going on?" he demanded. "What did you do?"

I scowled. "Calm yourself, pretty boy, I've been sleeping. And would a mint kill you?"

Butch's eye twitched. "Bull_shit_ you've just been sleeping! What was that huge crash?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know. Maybe you should check the pipes in this dump; maybe one burst? I'm not lying; I _was_ sleeping."

After a few heartbeats, he turned and headed towards the door.

"Don't try anything," he warned. I rolled my eyes again.

"Gee, because being tied down to a freaking altar gives me total freedom to screw around. _Right_."

Butch left the room and slammed the door behind him. I waited until the silence around me became deafening again before I moved my arm. The leather straps were burned to a crisp on my right side, thanks to my lovely laser-beams.

Butch was a freaking idiot. Of _course_ that crash was me! I'm not known for patience and obeying rules; that's Blossom's specialty.

Of course, the crash was my clumsy feet tripping over a broken flower pot. I tried to catch myself and accidentally grabbed onto some fabric, which brought down drapes and the metal things that held them up, which ended up falling on and smashing a few pots. I have no idea how Butch didn't see the mess, but then again, he was never all that smart.

I moved the leather strap off again and sat up.

I needed to get out of here, and even though I didn't trust Butch as far as I could throw- err, well, even though I didn't trust the idiot, I still wanted to at least check and see if the Ruffs had my sisters.

Better safe than sorry, right?

I hovered over the altar and listened.

Nothing. The coast was clear.

I floated towards the door and opened it a crack. The room was filled with the smell of rust and metal.

Was I in the basement or something?

Probably not the smartest idea, but I felt around the wall until I heard a 'click'. Light flooded the room.

Yep. I'm either in the basement or the garage.

A motorcycle covered in dust and cobwebs sat near a lawn mower. The whole room was filled with cobwebs, dust, and spiders. It was an arachnophobic person's worst nightmare, let me tell you.

Luckily, I didn't have to walk through any webs. I tried to be as quiet as possible and float through the room. Below me, spiders scuttled to and fro. I shuddered; thank God I could fly. I don't have very many weaknesses but holy _crap_ did I hate spiders! I mean, I don't mind one or two, but a thousand?

I shuddered again.

Once I managed to reach another door, I could hear soft cursing.

Uh oh. _That sounds like Butch._

I looked around frantically. All I needed was a temporary hiding spot, and then I'd tackle him. I'd punch his lights out and get the hell out of here.

Not a great plan, but then again, that's more Blossom's thing. I'm just the muscle in our small team.

Finally, I settled for hiding behind the door. Butch would open the door, probably leave it open, and return to the weird altar room. While he's poking around in there, I'd have just enough time to put some distance between us. Then I could continue to explore this dump of a house.

I positioned myself close to the door. Sure enough, Butch opened it and left it open. He walked towards the other door and placed his hand on the knob before he chuckled.

"I know you're in here, Buttercup."

That's when I decided enough was enough and I charged him.


	15. Chapter 14

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**Bubbles' POV**

I was sitting in front of a window looking at the outside world when Boomer returned.

"Bubbles?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

I turned around. He looked flustered.

"Yes, why?"

"I heard a loud noise and I wanted to make sure you were okay," he explained. Boomer's cheeks flushed even more when my gaze met his and he looked down at his feet.

I smiled. "Well, I'm fine."

Boomer looked around the room, as if trying to make sure everything was in its rightful place, before he nodded.

"Well... As long as you're all right."

He gave a small wave and reluctantly left the room. I returned my gaze to the window.

Snow was falling softly over the mountains and cliff sides. Occasionally, a zephyr would come through and scatter the tiny white flakes.

The entire sky was covered by clouds, giving the impression that the sky was actually white instead of a brilliant blue. I twirled a few strands of my hair around my finger.

I was bored. I wasn't sure how long Boomer was going to keep me here, but I hoped he would give me something to do soon. Maybe he could bring me some paper and a pencil?

I like cheerleading, but I actually tried to sign up for Citysville High's art club. They rejected my application, though; the drawings I sent in didn't show enough 'creativity' for me to be accepted into the club.

Just as I was about to move away from the window, something caught my eye. I turned back around to see a pink streak shoot across the sky. I stood on my tip-toes and planted my hands on the window sill.

"Blossom?"

_How did she escape? And... why didn't she try to find me?_

I shook that thought away. Whatever Blossom was thinking, I trusted her. I could get out of here all by myself if I needed to. Although, I _am_ kind of interested in how things will go with Boomer. I mean, he really was sweet once you got past the whole 'Rowdyruff' facade.

Then again... I really should help Blossom.

I tried to open the window only to find it was nailed shut. This whole place was probably so old that the windows were drafty.

Come to think of it... How did the boys even get this place?

Just when I was about to bust through the window, the sound of a door opening made me pause.

Boomer walked in with a tray of cookies and a glass of milk. He smiled at me.

"Hey. Thought you might be hungry. I hope this is okay; my brothers said I'm not allowed to give you anything to eat right now, but I was able to slip these out of the kitchen for you."

My heart filled up with guilt. I couldn't just leave Boomer here. I mean, he was really trying to be nice to me, and the fact that he's secretly going against his brothers says a lot for his character.

_Maybe I should try to sit tight for now._

Boomer and I sat down on the floor and we shared the cookies he brought.

Even though we made light conversation, I couldn't help but think about my sisters and my situation.

I had no idea what to do. Stay with Boomer or rush to my sisters?

"Hey, Boomer," I said quietly. He looked up, half a cookie hanging from his lips. The sight made me blush; he was so cute.

"Um... Are you _sure_ you don't know why your brothers kidnapped me and my sisters?"

He popped the remaining round treat into his mouth before shaking his head.

"All Brick said was to bring you here and keep you locked up. I think he also said something about a full moon... I don't remember, though."

_A full moon? What's that supposed to mean?_

I must have voiced my thought because Boomer shrugged.

"Like I said, he didn't tell me much. I have no idea."

If there's anything I've learned from watching various old movies, it's that full moons are often associated with weird rituals, the supernatural, all that stuff.

I had to let the girls know as soon as I got out of here. This didn't sound good at all.


	16. Chapter 15

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**Blossom's POV**

I have no idea how long I was awake, flying around Townsville in search of my sisters, but I know that the sun began to set pretty quickly.

The cool darkness around me did nothing to soothe my nerves. Multiple scenarios of the Rowdyruff Boys hurting my sisters flashed through my mind, forcing me to continue searching every nook and cranny of Townsville, even though I'd already searched every inch of the city twice. The girls wouldn't be in Citysville; we hated that place, and we still weren't allowed to use our powers there. I wouldn't be any use to my sisters if I was arrested or running from the police.

As I began to circle Townsville yet again, the faint streaks of the morning sun began to appear along the horizon.

I was just about to fly past the Mayor's office when my body began to shut down. My eyes slowly began to close and the sound of air whooshing past my ears slowed to a soft whistling.

Suddenly, without any warning, my body collided with the soft earth. I jolted awake.

Sure enough, I had fallen into the front lawn of the Mayor's office. Mud and dew were splattered onto my cheeks.

I sat up and tried to wipe some of the mud off my face before I stood.

Finally, I flew home.

The girls still hadn't returned home, and they weren't anywhere in Townsville.

I decided to take a quick shower before heading to bed. As much as I wanted to continue searching for Bubbles and Buttercup, I couldn't function correctly without first getting some rest. An hour's worth of sleep should help, then it's back to the skies.

Just as I had finished washing up, I heard the bathroom door creak open. I held my breath.

After a few heartbeats had passed and no other sounds were made, I cautiously peeked around the shower curtain.

Nothing. The bathroom was completely empty, and the door wasn't even open.

_Odd._

Not wasting any time, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy pink towel around myself. Out of the corner of my eye, something moved.

I spun around, my eyes roaming over every object in the bathroom, only to see that nothing had been disturbed.

I left the bathroom anyway and went straight to my room. I locked the door and quickly changed into some sweats and a long-sleeved shirt before brushing my hair and sliding into bed.

As I laid there, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched.

_Please tell me Brick didn't follow me_, I thought. _Please..._

I was scared. Who knows what Brick would do to me while I was sleeping?

Then again, I didn't know for sure if he was there with me.

Despite the foreboding feeling in my gut and the weariness of my body, I did a quick search through the house. Nothing was out of place and the entire house was quiet.

Finally, my exhaustion won and I drifted back to my bedroom. I slid into bed and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

I woke up sometime later feeling more refreshed than ever. For once, my body felt recharged.

As my brain began to wake up more, thoughts of my sisters became more prominent. They were still missing and I had to look for them. Even though I trusted that they could find their way back, they might need my help.

I shifted, only to feel arms tighten around my waist. A hand clamped over my mouth.

"Hey, Bloss," Brick whispered. "Miss me?"


	17. Chapter 16

**Unfortunately, I don't own the Powerpuff Girls. That honor goes to Craig McCracken. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Buttercup's POV**

Butch slammed my head against the wall. I grunted at the impact.

"I _told_ you not to try anything!" he growled. He tightened his grip on my hair and I winced.

"You're too stubborn for your own damn good," he finished. Butch's cool breath ghosted across my shoulder and I shivered.

"You know," he whispered. "I could always bite you again. That seemed to set you straight before."

"Do your worst," I managed to spit. "I can take anything you throw at me."

"Mm." Butch pressed his lips at the place between my neck and my shoulder. He let his teeth graze the tender skin and my body instinctively lurched forward. My mind screamed to get away from Butch; the memory of his pain-filled bite set my nerves on edge.

He chuckled and pulled me back into his chest.

"Aw, what's the matter?" he taunted. "Scared of a little love bite?"

"_Fuck_ you!" I threw my head back, hitting his forehead with the back of my head. Butch growled and released his hold around me to clutch his forehead. I shoved him across the garage with all the strength I could muster.

Butch flew into the lawn mower, which was also home to a massive nest of spiders. The small black arachnids skittered here and there, some even crawling onto the temporarily hurt superhuman. I kind of felt bad for him when two huge spiders ran up his arm, but I didn't exactly regret my actions.

While he was distracted, I sprinted towards the door he originally came from and dashed up the stairs. I let my feet lift off the ground and allowed myself to fly through the air. As I soared down numerous hallways, servants and maids rushed to get out of my way.

_This is getting me nowhere_, I thought impatiently, and that's when I decided to bust through a few doors.

Bubbles had to be here, and knowing Blossom, she probably already figured a way out. She didn't become our leader by being stupid.

I searched through a few rooms, smashing a few pieces of furniture here and there, when I suddenly crashed into something.

Better yet, some_one_.

I looked up to see a blonde boy staring down at me with big blue eyes. He looked a lot like Bubbles...

Wait a second, isn't this her counterpart?

What the hell was his name... Ben? Booger? No, wait, _Boomer_!

"Buttercup?" His voice sounded soft, almost like a whisper. Huh. He reminded me a lot of Bubbles.

"That's my name, don't wear it out," I replied. That's when I noticed a white door. I could hear soft noises coming from it, soft noises that sounded exactly like Bubbles' voice.

Was she.. Was she _crying_?

Without thinking, I grabbed Boomer by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "What the fuck did you do to my sister?"

His eyes widened with alarm. "W-what? I didn't do anything!"

"Bullshit, pretty boy. What did you do to Bubbles?"

"I-I didn't do anything! Honest!" he sputtered. I brought my fist back and I was about to give him a nice shiner when someone caught my hand.

"Sorry 'bout that, little bro," Butch hissed. "Buttercup's gotten a lot tougher than when she was a kid."

"Well, look who's tardy to the party," I remarked, letting a grin grace my face. "Ready for round three?"

Something blunt struck the back of my head and I fell to the floor. Just when I was about to fall unconscious, the door opened and a pair of bare feet tiptoed out of the room. I recognized the light-blue nail polish on the person's toenails.

"Boomer? What's going on?" Bubbles asked quietly. I noticed that her eyes weren't red or puffy; so Boomer _had_ been telling the truth.

Heh... My bad.

Still, though, what were those noises? Maybe Bubbles had been talking to Boomer. I don't know.

Once her eyes landed on me, she went to help me when Boomer held her back.

"No, Bubbles, you can't."

"Buttercup!" she cried, fighting to get out of Boomer's grip. I was just starting to get back up when Butch decided to sit on my back.

I tried to get up but he was too heavy.

"Damn it, how much do you weigh?!" I asked, still struggling underneath his weight.

"Not nearly as much as you'd think," he replied. He sounded amused. "Having a little trouble there?"

I continued to try and get up, only to have something sharp hit the back of my head. This time, I fell to the floor and blacked out.


	18. Chapter 17

**To kimeko-chan123: thanks! :)**

**I don't own the Powerpuff Girls.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Bubbles' POV**

Boomer ushered me back into his room.

"Why did you do that?" I demanded. "I have to help her!"

He held my arms at my sides. "Bubbles, it's okay. He's not going to hurt her."

"Yes, he will!" I cried. "Butch is insane! He'll _kill_ her!"

"Bubbles, calm down." He looked straight into my eyes.

"No, don't tell me to calm down! I have to go help her!"

"Bubbles, don't -"

Before I knew it, my hand came across his face with so much force that Boomer's head whipped to the side.

I stared at my hand in shock.

_I slapped him. I actually slapped him._

Boomer slowly turned back to face me. I could see in his eyes that my shocked expression mirrored his own.

Without thinking, I took a step back. "I-I-I'm sorry, Boomer, I d-didn't mean that..."

He sighed. "It's okay. Just please don't hit me again, all right? I deal with enough from my brothers."

After a few heartbeats passed, I leaned up and kissed his reddening cheek.

As soon as I stepped back, lips crashed to mine. Arms wrapped around my waist and crushed me to a firm chest.

Boomer was kissing me. Actually, kissing wasn't even the right word; _devouring my mouth_ seemed to be a better description.

Hesitantly, I started kissing him back. I could feel Boomer pressing his tongue against my lips and I parted them for him.

It felt so good to kiss him... It's like we were made for each other...

Just when things were about to go farther, I remembered that he was keeping me from my sister. I broke the kiss.

Boomer pulled away, startled, saliva still on his lips.

"I'm still mad at you," I said, turning away from him. I folded my arms across my chest to prove my point.

He sighed. "Come on, Bubbles; I'm only doing what I was ordered to do."

"How old are you?" I asked, not bothering to face him.

A few minutes passed before Boomer finally asked, "What?"

"How old are you?" I repeated.

"Eighteen?" he replied uncertainly. "Why do you need to know -"

"If you're eighteen, then you're technically a man!" I spun on my heel and jabbed a finger at him.

Boomer looked surprised at my outburst.

"And it's kind of funny that, as a man, you're letting your brothers push you around all the time. Aren't you supposed to be the one making decisions for yourself?"

"I _am_ making decisions for myself," Boomer growled. "I'm putting myself on the line for you and your sisters all the time, you know. I don't _have_ to tell you what my brothers are planning and I don't _have_ to be nice to you. I'm doing all of this because I _choose_ to. Just because I'm not letting you run to your sister doesn't mean I don't know how to do things for myself."

I felt my cheeks heat up in shame.

"I'm sorry," I replied softly. "It's just... How do you know Butch won't hurt Buttercup?"

Boomer sat down on the bed. He covered his face with his hands and let out a long sigh.

"Well, for one, he'd have to deal with a very pissed-off Brick, plus Buttercup, and two, I'm pretty sure Butch has a crush on her. As much as he acts like a tough guy, it's kind of obvious he's got a thing for Buttercup."

"So he absolutely won't hurt her?"

Boomer lifted his head. "She'll be fine. Buttercup's the toughest out of you guys, right? I don't think she'll get hurt that easily."

I let myself fall back onto the cool comforter. "I'm not worried about that; Buttercup tends to run her mouth a lot and that's what often gets her into trouble. I'm worried that she'll push your brother's buttons too far."

"Butch knows not to disobey Brick," he reassured me. "He's insane, yeah, but he's also extremely loyal to Brick. Even if Buttercup were to push him towards the edge, he knows to keep his temper in check."

I wasn't worried about violence; heck, violence was part of Buttercup's everyday life when we went to school. But I wasn't sure if the Rowdyruffs knew that the Professor was dead.

If Butch knew that and he teased Buttercup about that... Well, even the toughest person has a breaking point.

Buttercup has always been strong; when we all learned of our father's death, her initial reaction was explosive anger. But while Blossom was working and Buttercup thought I wasn't within earshot, she would sob quietly to herself. It was very unlike her to cry like that and I don't ever want her to hurt like that again.

"Did you hear anything else about this weird 'full moon' plan?" I asked, shifting my thoughts to what he'd told me earlier. He nodded, then tensed.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. All I can tell you right now, though, is that we need you three and Professor Utonium."

An imaginary dagger plunged through my heart at the sound of my dead father's name. Boomer left the room, not knowing that he was leaving me alone to try to repair the cracked walls I had built around my heart. Memories of my father began to play in my mind like an old, outdated movie and I couldn't stop the tears when they came.


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey guys! Sorry that this update is so late. Been busy.**

**I don't own the PPG.**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

**Blossom's POV**

I couldn't move.

My entire body was frozen with fear.

Brick chuckled again, this time removing his hand from my mouth.

"You know, that _was_ a pretty stupid move on my part," he whispered in my ear. "Leaving the bedroom door unlocked... What was I thinking?"

I wasn't sure what to say, so I remained quiet. Brick pulled me even closer and pressed his lips to my neck. I felt him grin.

Suddenly, two sharp teeth grazed the tender skin.

"Then again, this might not be so bad," he continued. "I don't have to worry about my idiot brothers walking in on us. I have you all to myself."

Brick sank his fangs into my skin and I whimpered.

Me, the leader of the all-powerful Powerpuff Girls, whimpering?Buttercup would probably make fun of me if she learned of this.

Brick withdrew his fangs and instead allowed his hand to travel up the back of my shirt. His cold touch made me shiver.

As if a switch had been flipped, Brick was on top of me, pinning me to the bed.

His lips ghosted over mine. I could feel my heart hammering against my chest like a caged bird.

"Nervous? You should be."

With that, Brick pressed his lips to mine. I wanted to fight him, but I couldn't. The ice-cold fear that previously gripped my body left me exhausted.

_Exhausted, exhausted, exhausted._

_I'm so tired of feeling drained._

Brick moved his lips against mine with such vigor that I couldn't help it.

I kissed him back.

My emotions were going crazy. I wanted to beat Brick into next week, kiss him, hug him, cry on his shoulder, ignore him, laugh with him... I wanted to be able to spend time with him and get to know him, to be like a normal teenager and just have fun.

_But we aren't normal teens, _I reasoned. _We'll never be normal teens and we'll always be enemies. I can't be with him like this._

Brick pulled away first, surprisingly, allowing me to breathe.

"You're a real piece of work," he mumbled, allowing his lips to hover dangerously close to mine. "A tsunami of emotions. What are you hiding from me, Pinky?"

I could feel the old, happy memories of the Professor I had shoved to the deepest recesses of my brain trying to come to the front of my mind. I hadn't allowed myself to deal with his death because my sisters needed me to be strong; if they saw me, their sister and leader, upset, then there would be nothing left of our family. I had had no choice but to push all those mixed grief-related emotions back in order to help piece things back together.

"It's none of your business," I bit out. "Now get off of me!"

Brick gave me a hard stare. "Why won't you tell me what's bothering you?"

Was he _serious_? The leader of the Rowdyruff Boys, my male counterpart and my arch-nemesis, wants me to tell him my problems?

"Did you drink too much blood?" I asked, incredulous. "What makes you think I'd ever want to talk to you? My personal thoughts are _my_ business and mine alone. Now, will you kindly get off me before I _make_ you get off?"

Something flashed in his eyes before he complied. Brick opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it and closed it.

"You're coming back with me," he stated, his voice much sharper than when he was trying to talk to me. "And while we're here, where's the Professor?"

My blood froze in my veins. "P-Professor?"

"Did I stutter?"

I tried to swallow the thick lump of sadness that lodged itself in my throat. I opened my mouth to speak, but only a small squeak came out.

Brick cocked an eyebrow. "Well? Where is he?"

A memory flashed before my eyes.

* * *

_"Professor! Professor, guess what?" I called, dropping my backpack near the front door._

_"In here!" he replied. I rushed into the kitchen and held up the letter I'd gotten from Pokey Oaks Middle School._

_"Look at this! It says I've been nominated to join the National Junior Honor Society!" I held up the white paper proudly. Professor stopped stirring the pot of stew he was making and took the letter. He looked it over before smiling._

_"That's wonderful, Blossom!" He wrapped me in a hug and kissed my forehead. "I'm so proud of you! How did you get nominated?_"

_"Straight As and perfect behavior," I replied, gloating a little bit. He laughed._

_"Well, congratulations. I might just have to take you girls out to dinner to celebrate."_

_"Can we go to that new Chinese place in Townsville?"_

_Professor nodded. "Sure! Sounds good. I'm proud of you, Blossom, keep up the good work."_

* * *

I forced the memory away. _Not now_. I couldn't deal with that while Brick was here.

"I don't know," I lied. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

Brick grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. "Where the _fuck_ is the Professor?"

"_I DON'T KNOW_!"

With that, I pushed my knee right into his manhood. Brick hissed and fell onto his side, clutching at his hurt member.

I used the opportunity to zoom out of the room, right through the window and up into the sky. I had no idea where I was going, but as long as I lost Brick, I'd be safe.

_Shit!_ That's right... I still had to find my sisters.

I must have flown for hours before I finally came to a heavily-wooded area. It almost looked like the forest where Fuzzy Lumpkins lived, but it was different.

I landed and started to walk around. The cool, soft grass under my feet calmed me down somewhat, but the beloved memories I had of my father were flowing through my mind, tumbling out like a closet overstuffed with toys.

_No._ I buried my face in my hands and tried to shove all those happy, mocking memories back into the dark corners of my mind. _No, no, no, no._

_The Professor is dead. All those happy times are gone now and... And..._

_No, I can't think like that. My sisters need me to be strong. If I start to cry, I'll never stop, and they can't see that side of me. I have to be strong... Come on, Blossom, pick yourself up already!_

After I was able to get myself back together, I flew back up into the sky and began to head back towards the mansion the boys had been keeping me in.

Brick would never think to look here for me. Whatever he needed me for, he wouldn't get me.

Besides; what if my sisters were still there? It was worth checking out, right?


End file.
